One of our heroes died today. Dr Jack Kevorkian, 83, passed away quietly after being in a Michigan hospital for two weeks with heart and kidney disease. His lawyer said that Jack would have preferred assisted suicide but he was too weak to go home. Kevorkian spend eight years in jail for defending his belief that assisted suicide with help from a medical professional should be a civil right. He mocked politicians and religious leaders who denounced him. When he got out of jail he admitted he could have been a bit more diplomatic in his right to die campaign. Fortunately he lived long enough to see Al Pacino star in his life story for HBO called “You Don’t Know Jack. ” Someday he’ll be recognized as a pioneer in human medical rights.
28 Comments
One of your heroes? Hmmm…. what would your reaction be if you had been in thehospital and were told “you have a visitor” and in walks Dr Death??? He says “hello, I’m here to asisst…” and in his hands he carries a small kit…. NOT my hero and I’m soooo glad he never showed up in my hospital room when my health was failing…
I agree with Janet. And I believe the progressive state of Oregon had adopted a law that halps a person choose death. No one should be able to tell another what to do with the end of their life if they have a painful, terminal condition.
On another note, I just can’t wrap my head around Pacino with his very distinctly AL delivery doing Kervorkian. Doesn’t LOOK like his and I’m positve he couldn’t even come close to doing Kervorkian’s voice, timber or timing. Al does AL in every movie I’ve ever seen him in. Not to say it isn’t a good movie, or entertaining, but I’m NOT fooled ever at all, it’s AL all the way. Oh, except for Taxi Driver but how the hell many years ago was THAT? And besides, what the hells up with that horrible dyed and thinning hair? AL needs a professional makeover and STAT!
Teri- he wasn’t murdering people out of the blue. These people wanted to die. He IS one of my heroes. Nobody should dictate that you die a painful prolonged death against your will. Think think think people!!!!
If I am miserable and want to end my suffering what’s it to any of you? Mind your own business!
I do agree as well. Other docs have been doing the same thing for years. Jack just had the balls to do it for whomever would pay him. The lobbing power of the AMA is one of the biggest reason medical costs in USA are out of control. These docs are all zillionares and also own the clinics and labs they send you too. People should just say no to their prices instead of grinning snd saying I have an insurance card.
he took the whole thing of ending your life too leterally, folks!!
We here in Oregon have had Death with Dignity (assisted suicide) for quite some time. It has been a very successful and humane program that has not been abused. In fact, it has been a comfort to those terminally ill. A number of qualified patients opted not to take the pill that would end their life. But they have said the knowledge they could, if things got too unbearable, end their misery was a blessing. Knowing they had control of how much suffering they could tolerate was beneficial in the dying process. And to think Ashcroft did his damnedest to stop this program. Seems the right wing does not want government interference when it comes to their money or corporations but not so much when it comes to humane issues like assisted suicide, stem cell research, planned parenthood, education or any other program that offends their religious, bigoted sensibilities.
I had always been on the fence about assisted suicide. Then, I had a long discussion with my dad, who was in a wheelchair. I had always assumed, being liberal, he agreed with it. I was surprised when he told me that as a disabled person, it frightened him. He explained that in Nazi Germany, they started with programs that seemed rational and reasonable, allowing things like assisted suicide, which quickly became a way to exterminate the physically and mentally disabled. It is a slippery slope. Unfortunately, well intended programs can be misused, quickly!
Well said lippp. As long as the ill person has the mental capacity to make their own decision about assisted suicide, it should be an option. We don’t allow our pets to suffer. At the end of life now they call it care and comfort which is really knock them senseless with morphine so they don’t know what’s going on. That frightens me more than anything.
If you see any accident happen and the person hurt by the reckless behavior, is on drugs and booze or just rebellious wanting to die, or breaking the law.. just walk on by, ignore their pain and hurt.. they meant to do it and it is their right to die.
My reaction to Beth’s comments is her farther should be much more concerned about the Patriot Act where our government could get info. about anyone without any sort of due process. He should be concerned about a political party that interferes with a family’s decision to take a family member off life support a la Terry Shiavro. He should be concerned about Supreme Court Justices who rule via their own political agenda as in Clarence Thomas and his wife’s Tea Bag affiliations. I, as a disabled person in a wheelchair, have never felt any fear whatsoever that the state of Oregon was putting into place a program that would cause my premature demise. To the contrary, I feel lucky to be residing in a State that will allow me the individual right I should have if I feel I cannot go on because of a terminal, painful physical condition. That is very, very, comforting.
Al WAS Jack in the movie, trust me. I think that MAY be why he is thought of as one of our great ACTORS… and yes, this is a loss…..he should have never been in prison to begin with…
the guy had his head and heart in the right spot…. we could use an org like the one in OR for sure……the people in this country don’t handle life OR DEATH well at all….they’d rather rack up hundreds of thousands of bills keeping their ‘loved ones’ hooked up to machines with no life than let them go….or they would rather be hooked up to one…..it’s sick, expensive and pointless. Remember Teri Schiavo?? everyone’s favorite vegetable? Talk about a freaking nightmare of historic proportions….that was a DISGRACE and circus that was so disturbing it was ridiculous….
I think that everyone should watch the documentary ” How to Die in Oregon” . It is a powerful depiction of assisted suicide. I never supported this law until I became involved in the health care field, and realized how much suffering life can bring to people in addition to joy. And yes, it is a slippery slope. That is why here in Oregon, it is a carefully monitored process where both the patient and the physician are vetted so that indiscriminate and irresponsible practices can be prevented. Life is not always pleasant, and taking one’s own life sometimes takes far more courage, not cowardice, than you think. When it seems that matters are spinning away beyond your reach, it is a way of re-exerting control over your life. I would not want to remove that desire from anyone
Lippp, No need to get your panties in a twist. I was just giving my opinion. I think you missed my point. What starts out as well intended can easily turn into something monstrous. Just food for thought and something to be aware of!
DR JACK KERVORKIAN: MAY YOU RIP.
Beth, I understand your point. However, you should be aware that Oregon Death with Dignity is well regulated. If you google today’s Oregonian page, there is an excellent editorial on Death with Dignity. In particular, you will not Dr. Kevorkian was not thrilled with Oregon’s plan precisely because it is so regulated. While I can appreciate Kervorkian’s criticism I also recognize, like you, that inherent in such an important, humanitarian program is a slippery slope. It is to Oregon’s credit that slope has been avoided and this state is a good model for states to follow.
{is her farther should be much more concerned about the Patriot Act where our government could get info}
oh you feel the need to dictate what an elderly man in a wheelchair should think? i think not!
i’m on the fence about assisted suicide, but why is it that we will put down an animal when it’s death is approaching. and we want to put it out of misery??
food for thought…
When Obama care kicks in, you will wish your state has/had assisted suicide.
My brother was in the same hospital as Dr. K at the same time, he thought he had a blood clot himself (thankfully not). He met him several times at his police dept when Dr. K was arrested in the past.
I’ve had to put out of misery a couple of very beloved pets and it nearly tore my heart out. The emotional pain was horrible but I know watching them suffer in agony when I could help them was hard but had to be done and I drove them to the vet and held them in my loving arms.
If I could be in the loving arms of someone that loved me that much, and would let me go instead of prolonging my suffering I’d die exstatic.
When you are depressed and a “non-producer” and the government escalates to the point that they want to SLIP YOU THE NEEDLE…remember this:
“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But,
under the name of ‘liberalism,’ they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” and asking WHY?
I think what he did as far as helping people die was right.
Why spend all your money and leave friends and family in debt and…Stay forever in the Hospital and…Sale your house to live throw pain and wasteing away and losing your mind…Just end it and be with your love one in Heaven.
The Pied Piper must long for those days when he was the Hall Monitor and Reta was HOA secretary. Organics were in the air!
Stay on topic. Pay attention to the thread, Go sign a National Geographic.
Poor Pied Piper….are you on tape:
http://www.trn1.com/uploads/mp3/showclips/062211PHILBOBBY.mp3
O.K.
Let’s go back to June, 2011 to talk about it.
Say…concerned yourself with the state of the worlds lesbians lately?
Maybe find a gossip site and rage to the world your concerns?
You’re a famous author you know.
The Poor Piper!